Wood Forsaken

There's a lovely stretch of woodland nearby. Plenty of animal friends call it home. Unfortunately it is already marred by a dump of noxious waste of some kind, something to do with the old mining industry that used to be nearby perhaps? There is also a beautiful ramshackle old building. Ok it is derelict but with a little imagination could be quite spectacular. Apparently it used to be a tile factory? A little pocket of our industrial heritage where nature is trying her (?) best to reclaim the land. However, there is a proposal to build up to 100 houses here. You can see people's objections. Great care would have to be taken to rehouse all the local wildlife were this to be given the go-ahead. The local parish council voted in favour of the development. I personally just wonder if I'll still be able to walk the neighbours' dog. I also do wonder what happens to all the habitat of that wildlife. It seems to be a natural corridor - I've even seen a heron (I think?) there. Massive bird! The green areas around the village are slowly disappearing and traffic is notably increasing in the area as new houses are built. Whilst it is true that people need places to live it is also true that the neighbouring city of Stoke-on-Trent badly needs 'regenerating'. Why not build there? Is it really worth sacrificing so much nature just so that people can live on the edge of a city rather than in it? Isn't this a short-sighted practice as ultimately the city is spreading and spreading forever outwards whilst its core becomes stagnant at best or maybe even derelict? I can't quite decide if this proposal will be 'good' or 'bad' though I don't feel entirely comfortable with the 'democratic' 'consensual' processes usually brought into play in such circumstances. So, I'll be keeping an eye on this one...